The Solar Energy Equipment Tax Exemption Form is the application that Fairfax County Land Development Services (LDS) uses to certify solar energy equipment, facilities or devices for a real or personal property tax exemption under § 58.1-3661 of the Code of Virginia. It is one of the forms behind Fairfax County property tax relief for solar installations, and it is completed by the person applying for certification of equipment at a specific address. On FillingPDF you can fill out the form online and download or print the completed PDF; the county publishes the original PDF on its website.
Last updated
What is Solar Energy Equipment Tax Exemption Form – Fairfax County, VA?
The Solar Energy Equipment Tax Exemption Form is the Fairfax County application for certification of solar energy equipment, facilities or devices for a real or personal property tax exemption, made pursuant to § 58.1-3661 of the Code of Virginia.
The printed title is "Solar Energy Equipment, Facilities or Devices Certification for Real or Personal Property Tax Exemption." The applicant names the equipment's street address, the owner, the owner's phone number and the Tax Map ID, then lists the documents submitted and the total cost of the installed equipment, materials and labor.
The form is the first of two steps. A section reserved for county use is signed by an authorized representative of Land Development Services. It certifies that the equipment complies with the criteria in 13 VAC 5-200-10 et seq. of the Virginia Administrative Code, has been inspected for compliance with the Uniform Statewide Building Code and has been installed for the purpose for which it is intended.
After that certification, LDS forwards the application to the Department of Tax Administration (DTA). DTA reviews the installation and equipment cost and calculates the value of the tax credit under § 58.1-3661 and the Fairfax County Code. The form itself does not calculate the credit or grant it: DTA explains the calculation in a separate letter to the applicant.
Who needs to file Solar Energy Equipment Tax Exemption Form – Fairfax County, VA?
The applicant who is asking Fairfax County to certify solar energy equipment, facilities or devices for a real or personal property tax exemption completes this form. The form has a line for the applicant's name and separate lines for the owner's name and phone number, so it records both people.
The equipment must be located at a street address you enter on the form, and you identify the property by its Tax Map ID. The equipment must already be described by plans, specifications and drawings, a narrative of its function and its installed cost, because the form lists these as the information and documents submitted with the application.
The form is not a tax bill, a payment or a credit calculation. The value of the credit and the period for which it applies are set later by the Department of Tax Administration (DTA) and explained in its own letter. The form prints no exclusions or eligibility thresholds beyond the criteria in 13 VAC 5-200-10 et seq. of the Virginia Administrative Code that the county applies when it certifies the equipment.
When to file Solar Energy Equipment Tax Exemption Form – Fairfax County, VA
The form prints no filing deadline. It is completed when you want Land Development Services to certify solar equipment for the tax exemption, and the form's content points to the time after installation: it asks for the cost of the installed equipment, and the county section certifies that the equipment has been inspected for compliance with the Uniform Statewide Building Code and installed for its intended purpose.
Timing after submission has two stages. LDS certifies first. The application then goes to the Department of Tax Administration (DTA), which issues a separate letter explaining how the tax credit is calculated and the time period for which it applies. The form states no processing time. For questions about the DTA stage, the form gives 703-222-8234, TTY 711.
Documents you need
- A copy of the plans, specifications and drawings of the solar energy equipment, facilities or devices for which certification is requested (item 1 on the form).
- A brief narrative description of the function of the solar energy equipment, facilities or devices (item 2 on the form).
- Documentation of the cost of the installed solar energy equipment, facilities or devices, covering materials and labor (item 3 on the form), to support the total cost you enter.
How to fill out Solar Energy Equipment Tax Exemption Form – Fairfax County, VA
Enter the applicant's name
In the opening statement, type the applicant's name on the line after "Pursuant to § 58.1-3661 of the Code of Virginia,".
Enter the equipment's address
Fill in the Street Address, City, State and ZIP of the location where the solar energy equipment, facilities or devices are installed.
Enter the owner's details
Type the Owner's Name and the Owner's Phone number. These lines are separate from the applicant's name.
Enter the Tax Map ID
Type the Tax Map ID of the property where the equipment is located.
Gather the three listed documents
Prepare items 1 to 3: plans, specifications and drawings; a brief narrative of the equipment's function; and the installed cost (materials and labor) with documentation.
Enter the total installed cost
On the line "Total costs of installed solar energy equipment, facilities or devices," enter the total cost of materials and labor, consistent with your cost documentation.
Sign and date as applicant
Add the Applicant's Signature and the Date. Do not complete the "This Section for County Use Only" block.
Review and download the completed PDF
Check the address, Tax Map ID, owner details and cost, then download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF. Assemble it with your attachments and submit it as described under How to submit.
How to submit Solar Energy Equipment Tax Exemption Form – Fairfax County, VA
The form does not print a mailing address, portal or appointment rule, so confirm the delivery method with Fairfax County Land Development Services (LDS), the office that certifies it.
- Submit to LDS: LDS completes the "This Section for County Use Only" block, so the application goes to that office with the three items it lists: plans, specifications and drawings; a narrative of the equipment's function; and the installed cost with documentation. Forms and publications for the county's land development process are listed in the library at https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/plan2build/forms-publications-library.
- After certification: LDS forwards the application to the Department of Tax Administration (DTA). You do not send it there yourself. DTA mails you a separate letter.
- Questions about the tax credit: call DTA at 703-222-8234, TTY 711.
Sign and date the applicant block, and leave the county certification block for LDS. FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the channels above.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Leaving out one of the three listed items (plans, specifications and drawings; narrative of function; cost with documentation) that the form says you are submitting.
- Entering a total cost without documentation of materials and labor; item 3 asks for both the cost and its documentation.
- Writing in the "This Section for County Use Only" block; it is signed by an authorized Land Development Services representative after inspection.
- Expecting this form to calculate or grant the tax credit; the Department of Tax Administration (DTA) does that and sends its own letter.
- Submitting the form unsigned or undated; the applicant's signature and date appear on the form.
- Entering a street address that differs from the location of the equipment, or omitting the Tax Map ID, which the form asks for to identify the property.
- Sending the application to DTA instead of Land Development Services; the form says LDS certifies first and then forwards it to DTA.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Fairfax County solar energy equipment tax exemption form?
It is an application to Fairfax County Land Development Services to certify solar energy equipment, facilities or devices for a real or personal property tax exemption under § 58.1-3661 of the Code of Virginia. It is the certification step that comes before the tax review.
What do I have to submit with the solar tax exemption form?
The form lists three items: plans, specifications and drawings of the equipment; a brief narrative of its function; and the cost of the installed equipment (materials and labor) with documentation of those costs. You also enter the total installed cost on the form.
Does this form calculate my Fairfax County property tax credit?
No. After Land Development Services certifies the equipment, the application goes to the Department of Tax Administration (DTA), which reviews the cost and calculates the credit. DTA then sends you a separate letter explaining the calculation and the period the credit applies.
Who certifies the equipment, and what does certification mean?
Land Development Services signs the county-use section. It certifies that the equipment meets the criteria in 13 VAC 5-200-10 et seq., has been inspected for compliance with the Uniform Statewide Building Code and has been installed for its intended purpose.
Who do I call with questions about the tax credit part?
Call the Department of Tax Administration (DTA) at 703-222-8234, TTY 711. The form directs questions about the cost review and the credit calculation to that number.
Can I fill out the solar energy tax exemption form online?
Yes. You can fill out the PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF is an independent service and does not file the form or contact the county; you submit it to Land Development Services yourself.
Do I need to send the form to the Department of Tax Administration?
No. The form says that once Land Development Services certifies it, LDS forwards the application to the Department of Tax Administration (DTA). DTA then issues its own letter to the applicant.
Ready to fill out Solar Energy Equipment Tax Exemption Form – Fairfax County, VA?
Fill out Solar Energy Equipment Tax Exemption Form – Fairfax County, VA now